1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a protective garment for four-legged animals (quadrupeds) and more particularly to a post-surgical garment worn primarily by dogs and cats which protects the belly of the animal and includes a movable flap that allows the animal to perform its bodily functions without soiling its garment.
2. Related Art
Many dogs and cats are neutered or spayed. Care of the animal, post-surgery, presents problems. In particular, it is important to protect the surgical site so that stitches are not torn or bandages covering the wound are not displaced. This needs to be done so that the wound can heal quickly and the chances of any infection are minimized. Further, normal dog and cat behavior, which includes licking at their fur and pawing at their bodies (scratching) creates the risk of damage to the surgical site and the risk of infection.
In the past, various types of garments, including post-surgical garments, have been proposed for wearing by animals. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,234,117, 5,463,985, 4,527,991, 4,335,600, D330,273, D329,927, and published U.S. Patent Application 2010/0132631. Some of these garments are of a one-piece construction, and others are of a two-piece construction. While all of these garments provide some protection to the animal wearing them, all have some drawback. For example, some garments cannot be readily fastened about the animal, or require a lot of time and effort to put on the animal. Some of the piece garments do not fully cover and protect the surgical site. Some garments cannot readily accommodate the needs of the animal to urinate or defecate.
The post-surgical garment of the present invention addresses these problems by providing a garment a veterinarian fastens easily onto the dog's body, adequately protects the surgical site, and is readily reconfigured to allow the dog to perform its normal bodily functions.